OSPIRG, Lane Transit team up to raise recycling awareness

Student activists hope artistic recycling bins like this one, photographed at the east side of Downtown Eugene Lane Transit District station on Nov. 9, will
encourage more commuters to recycle.Photo: Taya Alami

Student activists hope artistic recycling bins like this one, photographed at the east side of Downtown Eugene Lane Transit District station on Nov. 9, willencourage more commuters to recycle.Photo: Taya Alami

Lane Transit District and Oregon Students Public Interest Research Group are teaming up for a campaign promoting recycling awareness initiative at LTD bus stops in Eugene.

The joint effort between LTD and OSPIRG began Nov. 9, with students collecting pledges and giving away energy-saving lightbulbs and reusable grocery bags at Eugene’s Saturday Market.

The campaign plans to canvas at Lane’s main campus, the Saturday Market and other local venues for pledges to commit to recycling, said Sharlita Holmes, campaign coordinator for Ride with Recycling and OSPIRG chapter vice chair.

The initiative also plans to hold an art contest open to the public focused on images to promote the need for recycling. The contest will offer between one and three local artists the chance to have their work showcased on LTD buses advertising space appraised at approximately $6,000

“So basically, we’re going to have people submit their art that somewhat embodies recycling,” Holmes said.

The campaign art contest will be accepting entries until Dec. 1

“When winter term starts they’ll have it on the side of two buses, inside every bus and on future <br/>posters for our campaign,” Holmes said.

The final phase of the campaign is a Nov. 23 bicycle ride from the Downtown Eugene LTD Station to the University of Oregon campus and back, culminating in a trash audit to show the community what it throws away, Holmes said.

OSPIRG has performed two prior trash audits on campus, which brought gaps in waste <br/>renewal efforts to their attention. This will be its first off-campus audit.

“Even at Lane, a very progressive and on-it school, we still have a lot of room to grow,” OSPIRG organizer Alicia Bissonette said.

Holmes said she doesn’t think students are aware that a portion of their waste can be used to make compost.

“We’re trying to get recycling at their busiest bus stops,” Holmes said. “We want the community to see how much they throw away that doesn’t need to be thrown away.”

OSPIRG Campus Organizer Darlene Azarmi said the campaign was written and voted on in May, negotiated over the summer and implemented in August.